Artificial-ice-making apparatus



Jan; 295 1924. I 1,481,927

v H. D. PQWNALL ARTIFICIAL; IGE MAKING APPARATUS 'Fild may 4, 1921 2Sheets-Sheet 1 v o a F1 I H. D. POWNALL ARTIFICIAL ICE MAKING APPARATUSJan. -1924;

,2 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 4, 1921 ig |e blocks.

circulating pump.

Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES i 1,481,927 PATENT OFFICE. Q

HENRY D. POWNALL, OF CANTON. OHIO.

ARTIFICIAL-ICE-MAKING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 4, 1921. Serial No; 466,759.

cold or warm brine to the respective freezing tank units to freeze andrelease the ice Another object is to avoid projection of valve stems orother objects above. the floor of the tank room. Another object is toprovide improved valve mechanism adapted to reliably control the brinel'l()\\' and to avoid liability of the 'alve mechanism being renderedinoperative from the lodging of obstruction therein. and toproride forthe convenient removal of obstructions and maintenance of'the valves inoperative condition. Another object is to provide mproved and simplevalve mechanism, and means to connect the same to the tanksand conduits.Another object is to provide improved means to avoid fracturing the iceblocks by subjecting the ice molds to rapid changes of temperature orlocal changes of temperature or any considerable range of temperature.Another object is to eliminate all stufting boxes and the packing-orleakage thereof on the brine circulatory system, or the introductionof air or gas into such system to interfere with the action of theAnother object is to secure quickly actuated valves. .\ly invention alsocomprises certain details of form, combination and arrangement. all of.which will be fullyset forth in the description of the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic plan of a portion of an artificialrefrigerating apparatus embodying my improvements. 7

Fig. 2. is a plan of the inside of one end of one of the freezing tankunits with the warm and cool brine inlet and exit valves mountedthereon. Fig. 3, is an enlarged inside elevation of one of the warmbrine inlet and exit valves and also showing the relation of the valvestem to the tank floor.

Fig. 4, is a central vertical section through one of the warm brinevalves on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5. is a. horizontal section through one of the varm brine valves online 5-5 of Fig. 3. I

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of myinvention in which 14 represents a brine cooler tank of an artificialice making apparatus, divided by an L-shaped partition 140 into a brinereceiving compartment 14"and a brine distributing compartment 14'. Abrinecirculating propeller .15 forces the brine under a head of a fewinches from the receiving compartment through a series of fines orchannels. Where the brine is cooled by a di rect expansion system 16into the brine distributing compartment. A plurality of 'freezing tankunits 17 are employed on both sides of the brine cooler if desired,which are substantially duplicates of each other and in each of whichare aseries of cans or ice molds 18, mounted therein in a substantiallypermanentmanner. so that all the cans of oneunit are filled with rawWater through ports 18 at their bottoms at one operation. and all theblocks of ice are released from the ice molds 18 at one operation bydisplacing the cool brine with a warmer brine from a warm brine coil 20.thus gradually warniing the cold brine by circulating the same throughthecoil :20. The tank 19 contains a body of fresh water sufficient tofill all of the cans in anyone of the freezing tanks and has submergedtherein a coil of pipe 20. through which cold brine; taken from one ofthe freezing tanks in which the ice is completely frozen and ready tobeharvested through the pipe 25. is circulated to warm or partially warmthe brine in its passage through the pipe 20. The passage of the raivwater through the tank 19 and raw water conduit 19 reduces thetemperature of the raw water before it enters the ice cans 18 to nearits freezing point. while in turn the brine passing through the coil 20has its temperature correspondingly elevated and thereby adapts the rawwater from the tank 19 to be economically employed to fill the ice cansand the Warm brine from the coil 20 to be economically employed in oneof the freezing tanks 17 surrounding the ice cans to release the icefrom the cans in the respective freezing tanks and Without liabilit tosubject the ice in the molds to such su den changes in temperature as tofracture the ice in the ice cans. A supply pipe 21 leads from the exitend of the coil 20 with a branch pipe 22 to each freezing tank and acirculating pump, 23 is included in the circuit. The warm brine'returnsto the coil 20 from the respective freezing tanks through branch pipes24 and main return pipe 25.

n practice it is designed to have relatively large brine supply andreturn conduits 30 and 31 leading from the brine cooler to therespective freezing tanks in pairs to rapidly supply a relatively largevolume of cold brine under a relatively low "head or pressure and totake back to the brine cooler a corresponding quantity of brine notquite but nearly as cold as that flowing from the brine cooler. therebymaintaining a rapid exchange and circulatory flow which serves to keepthe cold brine in all parts of the freezing tanks at substantiallyuniform temperature, and avoids pockets and localities therein of highertemperature than the general average. One or more partitions 17 areprovided in the respective freezing tanks, to insure a uniformcircuitous flow of brine through .the freezing tanks and about the icecans therein as indicated by arrows in Fig. l. I

In order to control the flow of ,cold brine toand from said respectivefreezing tanks, I provided an intakec valve frame 26 and an exit valveframe 27 adapted to be at-o tached by cap screws 28 to one end plate 2:)of each of the freezing tanks 17 opposite a perforation in said plate29. In order to conveniently couple the cold brine conduits 30 and 31leading from the brine cooler to the respective freezing tanks. to thewall 21) of said tanks, and to thevalve casings at the same time withleak proof joints, I pr)- vide collars 32 outside of the plate 29 andstuffing box recesses with pac ring therein in the valve casings. sothat when the cap screws are drawn up tight the packing is compressedand forms lcak proof joints about the unthreaded ends of the conduits 30and 31, and also a leak proof joint against leakage of brine past thevalve between the plate 29 and the valve casing. Each valve casing isprovided with a valve seat 34 adapted to be machined or ground to auniform plane surface. Each casing is also provided with ways or guides3.3 which serve to guide a disk shaped gate valve 36 to and from itsseat 34. To the center of each valve is pivotally attached one end of alink 37, the opposite end of which link is pivotally connected'to alever 38. The lever 38 is pivotally connected to the valve casing at 38and is guided by a lug 35 and its upper end extends upwardly to thefloor of the tank room. or slightly below said floor where it isperforated so as to be engaged by the operator by means of a hookedlever to either open or close the valve, thereby enabling said valves tobe operated without presenting any valve stems or other obstructionsabove the floor of the tank room. The force exerted by the lever andlink upon the gate valve is always substantially in direct line to forcethe valve over its valve seat or away therefrom. A pair of screws 40.having conical inner ends are threaded through projections 41 on'thevalve casings, and as the gate valves 36 are forced by the levers overtheir seats, the beveled edges of the gate valves are engaged by theconical ends of screws 40 to force the gate valves down tightly upontheirseats to form a leak proof joint therewith. The screws 40 may becldsely adjusted and locked by set-screws 41 so as to engage the valveat such a position of the valve as to force the valve firmly down uponits seat to produce a leak proof joint. It will be noted that the valveseats and valves open into the freezing tank in such a manner that anysolid or foreign matter carried in the liquid is free to fall away fromor be brushed away from the valveseat by the valve, and that any suchsolid or foreign matter tends to fall away from the valve and thus leavethe valve and its seat at all times clean and free to form a leak proofjoint. Said'valves are also readily accessible by hand or by means of atool to detach any foreign matter that may obstruct or render theminoperative. The screws 40 are adapted to be adjusted from time to timeso that their conical points will engage and seat the valve at thecorrect position of the valve, and when so adjusted are adapted to belocked to their adjusted positions by means of set-screws 41'.

The valve casing 27 of the brine exit conduit 31 differs from the casing26 of the brine inlet conduit 30 in that an overflow port 44 is providedtherein to conduct either cold brine or warm brine bv overflow method tothe brine cooler even though the exit valve 36 be left closed. The exitvalve :27 and conduit 31 are located near the top of the freezing tankand the entrance of the overflow port 44 is a sufiicient distance abovethe valve so that the valve remains continuously submerged Thus eventhough the cold brine inlet valve may be opened accidentally withoutalso opening the cold brine exit valve, or in the event that the warmbrine inlet valve be opened without at the same time opening the warmbrine exit valve. the brine will not accumulate in any one of thefreezing tanks to such an extent as to overflow into the ice molds anddamage the partially frozen or finished ice cakes, or get into the freshwater conduits or overflow the freezing tank and injure its insulation.or the building in which it is located. Instead of causing a brineoverflow or other injury in the event of the improper regulation of thebrine conduit valves of any one of said fr ezing tank units, the brinewill be maintained at a uniform surface level in such freezing tank-unit ,.without liability to overflow into the ice molds, or to overflowto the exterior of such freezing tank unit, and the excess brine will beconducted from said tank through the overflow port 44 to the brinecooler tank where it will find its level by reacting upon the head anddistribution of the entire brine circulation system of which the brinein one freezing tank is a relatively small fraction.

When the fresh water in the ice molds of any one freezing tank has beencompletely frozen into blocks of ice, the cold brine circulating valves36 thereof are closed and the warm brine valves 46 and 47 to thatfreezing tank unit are opened, thereby slowly re-v moving cold brine andreplacing it with warmer brine in such manner'as to release the blocksof ice from the molds Without so suddenly applying warm brine as tocause the ice blocks to become fractured. After the ice blocks have beenremoved the ice molds are refilled with fresh water, the warm brinecirculation through that freezing tank unit is cut off and the valves'36 opened to reestablish a cir nlationof cold brine until the ice moldsare again filled with ice.

In order that the warm brine valves 46 and 47 may be convenientlyapplied to the tanks, connected to the branch warm brine conduits,actuated without projections above the tank floor, from obstruction, andprevented from discharging warm brine so as to fracture the ice, Isecure warm brine valve casings 50 by means of flanges 51 and bolts orrivets 51' directly to the inner faces of the freezing tanks, andprovide threaded flanges 5% on said valve casings into which the ends ofthe branch warm brine conduits '22 and 24 are threaded. Each of saidvalve casings is provided with a through port 53 for the passage of thewarm brine, and a deflector 54 to divert or deflect the current of Warmbrine from opposite sides laterally. and thus mixing the incoming wannbrine with the cooler brine in the tank to even its temperature andavoid a direct current of Warm brine being locally applied to one of thecans so as to fracture the ice blocks therein.

Each valve casing 50 is provided with a tapered bore or recessvertically disposed to receive a correspondingly tapered valve or cock46 or 47 having a brine port 56 therein to be turned so as to registerwith the casing port 53 when the valve is open, and to be adjusted to aposition transverselyto the port 53 when the valve is closed. Thetapered valves 46 and 47 are held in place in the valve casings bygravity and are provided with the valve stems 57 projecting up torecesses58 cut in the tank lid or tank floor 59, where said valve rodsare provided with readily freed and kept free slots 60 to receive adetachable manually its valve rod may be lifted from the casing and theobstruction manually removed and the valve replaced without seriouslyinterruptingthe operation of the apparatus.

Each of the valves 46 and 47 being at all times below the level of thebrine in the freezing tank they require no stufling boxes or packing andit is impossible for air to enter the warm brine circuit to becomepocketed or trapped therein or to interfere with-the brine flow, or tointerfere with the action and efiiciency of the circulating pump 23.

The warm brine regulating and distributing apparatus herein illustratedand described is capable of considerable modification without departingfrom the principle of my invention. i

What I claim is z- 1. Incombination with the freezing tank of anartificial ice makingapparatus, a heat exchange member through separatecompartments of which the raw water and brine are circulated so that theraw water leaves the exchange member cooler than when it entered and thebrine leaves the exchange member warmer than when it entered. a brinesupply conduit leading from said ex"- change member to said freezingtank and a brine return conduit leading from the freezing tank to theexchange member. means to circulate brine to and from said freezingtank, a valve casing attached to the inside of the freezing tank walland to which the warm brine inlet conduit is attached, said valve casingbeing provided with a brine inlet port and a warm brine deflector todeflectthe incoming warm brine inside the tank and mix the warm brinewith the brine in the freezing tank ga valve removably seated in saidvalve casing and provided with a valve stem pro ecting upwardly withinthe freezing tank to near the top of the said freczing tank.

2. In combination with the freezing tank of an artificial ice makingapparatus, a heat .exchange member through separate compartments ofwhich the raw water and brine are circulated so that the raw waterleaves the exchange member cooler than when it entered and the brineleaves the exchange member warmer than when it entered. a brine supplyconduit leading from said heatexchange memberto said freezing tank and abrine return conduit leading from the freezing tank to said heatexchange member, means toicirculate brine "from saidheat exchange memberto. said freezing tank. a valve casing attached to the inside of thefreezing tank wall at the terminus of said brine inlet conduit, saidvalve casing being provided with a brine inlet. port and warm brlnedeflector to deflect the incoming warm brine inside the tank and mix itwith the brine in the tank. a valve seated in said valve casing insideof freezing tank adjustable to open and close the port in said valvecasing. and means to actuate said valve.

3. In combination with the freezing tank of an artificial ice machine, aheat exchange member through separate compartments of which the rawwater and brine are circulated so that the raw water leaves the exchangemember cooler than when it entered and the brine leaves the exchangemember "warmer than when it entered. a brine supply conduit leading fromsaid heat exchange member to said freezing tank. a brine return conduitleading from said freezing tank to said heat exchange member. separatevalve casings attached to the inner face of the freezing tank at theterminals respectively of said supply conduit and said brine re turnconduit. said valve casings being provided with ports for the passage ofbrine. and recesses to receive valves to control said ports, valvesremovably seated in the recesses in said valve casings, and valve stemsextending upwardly through said freezing tank and serving to adjust saidvalves in their casings from open to closed position, and also to liftsaid valves from and return them to their position in said valvecasings.

4. In combination with the freezing tank of an artificial ice machine, awarm brine supply conduit lea ing to said freezing tank, a valve casingt the terminus of said conduit attached to the inner face of one of theside walls of the said tank and provided with a brine port, a taperedrecess to receive a valve and a deflector to deflect the current of warmbrine entering the brine tank and to mix the warm brine with the brinein the freezing tank before it comes in contact with the ice cans, atapered valve to be seated in the recess in said valve casing. andadjustable to open and close the brine port in the valve casing, andmeans to actuate said valve.

In combination with the freezing tank of an artificial ice makingmachine, a warm brine supply conduit leading to said freezing tank, avalve casing located at the terminus of said conduit and belowthe-surface of brine in said freezing tank attached to the inner face ofone of theside walls of said tank and provided with a brine port. atapered recess to receive a valve and dctlector to deflect the currentof warm brine entering the freezing tank and to mix the warm brine withthe brine in said freezing tank before it comes in contact-,with the icecans. a tapered valve to seat in the recess of said valve casing andadjustable to open and close the brine port in the valve casing. a valvestem projecting upwardly from said valve to near the top of the freezingtank and adapted to rotatablv actuate said valve and also to liftingsaid valve from its seat and replacing it therein.

6. In combination with the freezing tank of an artificial ice makingmachine. a warm brine supplv conduit. a warm brine return conduit. valvecasings at the terminals of said respective warm brine conduits,attached to the inner face of one of the side walls of said freezingtank and provided with brine ports and tapered recesses to receive thevalves to control the flow of warm brine to and from said tank. taperedvalves respectively seated in recesses in said valve casings andremovable therefrom and valve stems projecting upwardly from saidrespective valves to near the top of the tank and adapted to rotatablyadjust said valves. and to remove said valves from their casings and toreplace them therein.

7. In combination with a freezing tank provided with a plurality of icecans and a heat exchange member through the separate compartments ofwhich the raw water and brine are circulated so that the raw waterleaves the exchange member cooler than when it entered and the brineleaves the exchange member warmer than when it en tered, a brine supplyconduit leading from the exchange member to said freezing tank and abrine return conduit leading from the freezing tank to the exchangemember. means to circulate brine to and from said freezing tank andinlet and exit valves at the terminals of said brine conduits to control the flow of brine to and from said heat exchange member. saidvalves being located within said freezing tank and below the surface ofthe brine therein to avoid packing of said valves and leakage of brinefrom said valves or the introduction of air into said brine circulatingconduits.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

- HENRY D. POWNALL.

